Keep your eyes on the road, not your phone: 3-year-old girl hurt by distracted driver
Posted in Accident & Injury on April 9, 2013
By Arthur Elk
Did you know that you are 23 times more likely to be in an accident if you are texting and driving? The innocent victims of your reckless behavior could be anyone. Sadly this time, it was a 3-year-old girl.
Last month, in a parking lot near a Kohl’s store in Strongsville, a distracted driver didn’t realize that she had hit a 3-year-old girl until two strangers jumped in front of her car and stopped her.
The girl’s mother said the driver was looking right and turning left while on a cell phone. The mother and daughter were walking hand-in-hand when the little girl was struck. A man ran to block the moving car and tried to the lift the bumper while a woman threw herself in front of the car’s tires.
The girl’s hip is fractured in four places, so she can’t walk and can hardly sit up. Her mother said the hardest part is they have no idea what damage this will cause in the long term.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include:
- Texting
- Using a cell phone or smartphone
- Eating and drinking
- Talking to passengers
- Grooming
- Reading, including maps
- Using a navigation system
- Watching a video
- Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player
But, because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction.
As a personal injury attorney, I have seen too many times the results of people making bad choices and driving while texting or taking part in some other distracting activity. Thousands die needlessly each year because people continue to use their cell phones while driving. Luckily, this 3-year-old girl survived, but her life may be changed forever because of one driver’s bad decision.
If you or a loved one have been injured by a distracted driver, you need an experienced Ohio personal injury attorney to fight for your rights. At Elk & Elk, we believe strongly in helping victims get their lives back on track. Call 1-800-ELK-OHIO today or fill out our free, no-obligation online consultation form.